N.C. Board of Transportation votes to name new Oregon Inlet Bridge after Marc Basnight

The new bridge is officially the “Marc Basnight” bridge. Photo by Don Bowers.

At their meeting on Thursday morning, March 7, the North Carolina State Board of Transportation unanimously voted to name the new bridge across Oregon Inlet the “Marc Basnight Oregon Inlet Bridge.” The segment of the old bridge that will become a pedestrian walkway will retain the Herbert C. Bonner name.

The resolution also rescinds the 1983 designation that named the entire length of N.C. 12 from U.S. 64 to the Ocracoke Ferry Terminal the “Marc Basnight Highway.”

The Board of Transportation vote comes after a resolution was passed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners (BOC) to rename the bridge after the former State Senator at their February 4 meeting by a 3-2 margin.

The BOC resolution was then sent to the N.C. Board of Transportation’s Road, Bridge and Ferry Naming, which recommended naming the new bridge across Oregon Inlet the “Marc Basnight Bridge,” with a sign underneath that says “Oregon Inlet,” at their meeting on Wednesday, February 6.

You should print the text of this insulting resolution, which doesn’t even mention the words “Hatteras Island.”

BOC Chairman Bob Woodard is the one who led the fight to change the name of our bridge. Woodard refused to listen to the overwhelming majority of those of us who actually use the bridge because taking care of a crony meant more to him than doing what the people want.

Woodard, as BOC Chair, sent a resolution endorsed by just THREE of SEVEN Commissioners and got a corrupt Board of Transportation controlled by his buddy Roy Cooper to do what he wanted, not what the people want.

This slimy action is too typical of politicians today. It’s why Trump won and a perfect example of the sleazy swamp he’s been draining for the last two plus years.

Two of the three who voted for this: Woodard and Wally Overman, are up for reelection in the 2020 Republican Primary.

Once again Mr. Shaftan you choose to mislead the public.! You never state the facts. The facts are that Commissioner Bateman brought the naming of the bridge up at our first meeting in February to name the bridge and after some discussion, myself along with my fellow board members were not willing to make that decision at that meeting without getting input from our citizens. The board choose to instruct our Public Information Officer to post a notice on our website to ask the public to let us know their preference of naming the bridge. The County keep this on our site for almost 30 days, Once the results were calculated they were presented to the board. The board then voted based on those results and the results were sent to NCDOT for them to make the decision. These Mr. Shaftan are the facts!

You should print the text of this insulting resolution, which doesn’t even mention the words “Hatteras Island.”

BOC Chairman Bob Woodard is the one who led the fight to change the name of our bridge. Woodard refused to listen to the overwhelming majority of those of us who actually use the bridge because taking care of a crony meant more to him than doing what the people want.

Woodard, as BOC Chair, sent a resolution endorsed by just THREE of SEVEN Commissioners and got a corrupt Board of Transportation controlled by his buddy Roy Cooper to do what he wanted, not what the people want.

This slimy action is too typical of politicians today. It’s why Trump won and a perfect example of the sleazy swamp he’s been draining for the last two plus years.

Two of the three who voted for this: Woodard and Wally Overman, are up for reelection in the 2020 Republican Primary.

Once again Mr. Shaftan you choose to mislead the public.! You never state the facts. The facts are that Commissioner Bateman brought the naming of the bridge up at our first meeting in February to name the bridge and after some discussion, myself along with my fellow board members were not willing to make that decision at that meeting without getting input from our citizens. The board choose to instruct our Public Information Officer to post a notice on our website to ask the public to let us know their preference of naming the bridge. The County keep this on our site for almost 30 days, Once the results were calculated they were presented to the board. The board then voted based on those results and the results were sent to NCDOT for them to make the decision. These Mr. Shaftan are the facts!